Gastroenterology

Prior faecal haemoglobin concentrations can help predict risk of future CRC, advanced neoplasia

3 days ago

Prior faecal haemoglobin (F-Hb) concentrations are prognostic of the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) or advanced neoplasia (AN), according to a study. When added to age and sex, prior F-Hb concentrations can accurately identify individuals at risk of the said diseases.

Investigational drug gains upper hand over placebo in reducing CDI recurrence rates

Audrey Abella, 4 days ago

SER-109, an investigational oral microbiome therapeutic, achieves superiority over placebo in reducing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) rates, according to updated findings from the phase III ECOSPOR-III trial.

BB-12 probiotic may help treat baby colic

5-strain probiotic blend improves functional gastrointestinal symptoms

Stephen Padilla, 5 days ago

Treatment with a newly developed probiotic blend made up of five strains (Bl-04, Bi-07, HN019, NCFM, and Lpc-37) is safe and leads to better gastrointestinal (GI) well-being as early as day 14, with sustained improvements up to day 30, a recent study has shown. Few adverse events resulting in discontinuation have been reported.

Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation reduces relapse in recurrent common bile duct stones

15 May 2022

Stone recurrence arises following traditional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in nearly half of the patients with recurrent common bile duct stone (CBDS) during long-term follow-up, reports a recent study.

Urgency tied to poorer quality of life, ups hospitalization risk in UC patients

15 May 2022

Urgency, or the immediate need to defecate, in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is an independent predictor of compromised quality of life (QoL) and future risk of hospitalizations, corticosteroid use, and colectomy, suggests a study.

Relationship between tumour response to systemic therapy and overall survival in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Dr Raghav Sundar, 09 Sep 2019

Overall survival (OS) is currently the primary criteria in assessing the efficacy of a cancer treatment. Dr Raghav Sundar, a consultant medical oncologist at the National University Hospital, Singapore, details the crucial role played by tumour response in evaluating treatment efficacy, with a focus on the multiple kinase inhibitor lenvatinib in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

CheckMate-649: Upfront NIVO + chemo maintains survival benefit in advanced oesophagogastric cancer

Pearl Toh, 05 Mar 2022

Upfront treatment with nivolumab plus chemotherapy continues to yield significant survival benefit compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced GC/GEJC/EAC* after 24 months, regardless of their PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS), according to long-term data from the CheckMate-649 trial presented at GICS 2022.

Special diet may help reduce disease activity in IBD

IBD: Does certain diet help?

Pearl Toh, 26 Feb 2022

Diet plays an important role in reducing disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — particularly when diet leans towards anti-inflammatory food or a CD exclusion diet (CDED), according to studies presented at the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress (CCC) 2022.

STRIDE regimen boosts OS in unresectable HCC

Roshini Claire Anthony, 25 Feb 2022

The addition of tremelimumab to durvalumab (STRIDE regimen) in the first-line setting improved overall survival (OS) compared with sorafenib in patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to results of the phase III HIMALAYA trial.

Lenvatinib-TACE combo a new first-line treatment alternative for advanced liver cancer?

Audrey Abella, 23 Feb 2022

In individuals with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the combination of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and lenvatinib as first-line treatment led to improved survival outcomes as opposed to lenvatinib monotherapy, according to findings of the phase III LAUNCH* trial.

Durvalumab + chemo: A new SoC for advanced BTC?

Roshini Claire Anthony, 22 Feb 2022

Patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) who receive durvalumab in addition to standard of care (SoC) gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy in the first-line setting have a reduced risk of death compared with those receiving SoC alone, according to results of the TOPAZ-1 study presented at ASCO GI 2022.

Starting vedolizumab early better than late for UC

Elvira Manzano, 21 Feb 2022

Starting vedolizumab early after the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) appeared more effective than delaying it to after initiation of other UC treatments, according to the RALEE study.